Kuroi Jigoku
by BlackRose16
Summary: A love that must defy Fate...the love between a human and a vampire. Can it overcome all boundaires? AU yaoi
1. First Meeting

BlackRose: Okie…I said I wouldn't post the fic until after I finished Don't Turn Out the Lights, but I couldn't help it.  I had to write this.  Just don't expect a lot of fast updates.    Disclaimer:  Eh heh…Bakura?  

Bakura:  *sighs*  BlackRose doesn't and never will own Yu-Gi-Oh or any other anime.  

BlackRose: That's not true. I may end up with my own anime series one day.  

Bakura:  -.- That's about as likely as me falling madly in love with Yugi.  

BlackRose:  ^.^  I could make that happen.  

Bakura:  O.O  Do it and I _will _send you to the Shadow Realm.          

Kyuketsuki. Child of the night.  Said to be nothing but a mystical creature.  And if the race indeed does _not _exist, then I deserve to be locked in a padded cell, or a trip to the psyciatrist.  Or maybe this is just some wild nightmare.  If it is indeed, I'm not sure I want to wake up.  

I started to hear another voice in my head, besides my own, two nights ago.  The voice was…oh how to put that sound to words…seductive, deep, lustrious, almost inhuman in its beauty.  I was on the verge of slumber when that wonderful voice rang throughout my head.  My eyes had flown open as I heard the words spoken.  

_Soon, my beloved, you shall come to me.  _

The Sandman was cruel to me that night, only coming to sprinkle my eyes as the ruby sun came up to greet the dew. 

Then I began to hear whispers. Incoherent whispers. I didn't understand it.  Was I losing my mind?  All day this voice tortured me, just quiet whispers so that I could hear them, but so I could still hear the world outside of my own mind.  But now I'm beginning to understand.  What happened to me earlier tonight showed me that I had not become a schizophrenic.  Here, let me backtrack to the occurrence earlier this evening.  

//Flashback// 

"I think that's about it for tonight.  I'm exhausted," I said, trying, and failing, to cover my yawn.  The fair-haired Egyptian across the table from me smiled.  

"Go ahead, Ry.  This stuff'll be waiting for us tomorrow."  He stood up and stretched, me following suit.  

"Hell, I think I'll head home too. No point being here if the almighty workaholic is calling it quits."  I frowned. 

"A little work wouldn't kill you."  Malik sniffed haughtily.  

"I work more than a little, thank you very much.  Drawing anime characters all day is hard work."  

"You aren't the only one who does it for a living."  

"Yeah, but you enjoy it too much to be considered normal."  

"And what, exactly, is _your _definition of normal?"  He grinned.  

"Drunken transvestites."  I scowled, my cheeks reddening.  When would he ever let me forget that night?  It's not my fault I got drunk at the Halloween party.  

"Leave me alone about that, you big bully."  

"Aw, c'mon, you know I was just kidding."  I stuck my tongue out at him as we locked up the room and left the building.  Malik stopped in front of his car.  

"You want me to give you a lift home?"  My car was still in the auto shop after a rather intriguing incident involving a suicidal stray dog.  I shook my head.  

"No thanks.  It's a lovely night.  I think I'll walk home."  My apartment was only a few blocks away anyways.  Malik glanced at me uneasily.  

"Are you sure?  You don't exactly live near the nicest neighborhood.  It's no trouble at all, really."  

"I can fend for myself. Besides, if anyone _does _try to mug me, I'll just do what you taught me to do when we went to camp.  Kick 'em in the balls and run," I teased.  We both chuckled at that, then bid each other _adieu.  _I watched him pull out of the parking lot and heard the beep of the horn as he honked and drove away.  I shoved my hands in my pockets and tilted my head up to look at the moon.  It was full.  I shivered involuntarily as a cool breeze swept by me and began walking.  

When I was a block away from my house, Malik's fear proved true.  I was just walking, minding my own business, when I was grabbed by the arm and pulled into a dark alley.  I was pinned to the wall and felt a cold blade at my throat.  

"Wallet.  Now."  I dared not try to kick him, as the blade of the knife was pressed rather tightly against my throat.  I felt a thin trickle of blood slide down the front of my throat and down my chest.  I squeezed my eyes shut.  Before I could hand it over to the rude man, there was a swooping sound, then the thud of boots landing on concrete.  

"Leave him alone," I heard a voice growl.  Something tickled at the back of my mind.  The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't recall why.  

"And whaddya gonna do if I don't, eh?"  I heard the stranger growl, then the knife was pulled away from my throat.  There was a strange _crack_, then the sound of a body falling to the ground.  I opened my eyes to see the body of the man who had tried to mug me.  My heart lept in my throat.  I had never seen a dead body before.  My eyes were wide and my mouth slightly open, my breath coming in small gasps.  Strong, but thin fingers cupper around my chin and turned my head, tilting it slightly upward to see the face of my savior.  He was beautiful.  That's the only way to describe him.  Cold blue eyes stared down into my own muddy colored orbs.  His brown hair was short, a few strands hanging in front of his eyes.  Impulsively I reached up to brush them away.  His hair was as soft as it looked.  It felt like I was touching silk.  My hand strayed to his cheek to stroke it.  He closed his eyes in pleasure at the contact, a low purr rising from his throat.  We remained that way for a few moments, until he opened his eyes and looked down at my throat.  He stiffened and averted his eyes quickly back to my face, pulling away slightly.  

"You should be more careful next time."  Then he stroked my cheek in a similar fashion and began to walk away.  I snapped out of my daze and caught his hand, pulling him back towards me.  

"Wha-what are you?"  He kissed my cheek.  

"You're savior," he whispered in my ear.  Then he disappeared.  I blinked and looked around frantically.  He truly had just disappeared without a trace.  I was trembling when I got home.  So badly that I had to lean against the door as I bolted it shut.  I closed my eyes and forced myself to relax, slowly counting to one hundred.  I gradually calmed down, and taking a deep breath, straightened.  I heard the meow of a cat and looked down, a smile creeping across my face.  

"That's right, it's dinner time, isn't it, Hogo?"  The white cat meowed again.  I picked him up and walked into the kitchen, cuddling him.  I got his bowl and poured the food in, chuckling as he dove at the bowl and ate hungrily.  

"You act as if you've never eaten before," I said, scratching his ears.  He looked up at me after he finished his meal, licking his chops.  He purred as I scratched his back, arching it slightly to give more area to pet.  I yawned again.  

"Think we should go to bed?" I asked him.  He meowed again and waited for me to pick him up.  I did so and walked into my room, setting him lightly down on the bed and walking towards my wardrobe.  I could feel his red flecked brown cat eyes following me as I pulled out my nightclothes and changed.  I snuggled under the covers and clicked off the light.  That was when I rememered why the voice of the man in the alley was so familiar.  It was the same voice that I had heard in my head the night before.  Hogo meowed and lay down next to me, purring as I stroked him, lost in thought.  Why had that man been looking at the cut on my throat?  I had seen the hunger in his eyes, and that scared me.  I gasped as a ridiculous thought came into my mind.  _Is he a…kyuketsuki?_  I shook my head.  _No, that's impossible.  Don't be stupid.  Vampires only exist in movies and books.  _

//End flashback//                                                       

Now, as I think about it more, I'm not so sure its just some stupid legend.  That man…he had said he was my "savior."  Why that word, of all words?  I find myself thinking back to his looks, the feel of his lips against my cheek.  Wait, best not think about that.  It's too late to take a cold shower and I'm exhausted enough as it is.  I snuggle deeper under the covers, disturbing Hogo, who makes a sound of annoyance.  I need to see this man again.  Get some answers.  The question is…how?  

BlackRose:  Okie…that went well.  REVIEW ONEGAI!   

                           


	2. Guardians and Their Charges

BlackRose: Yeah, I know.  I still need to finish typing the next chapter for Dark Mind, Tortured Soul.  I'm getting there, don't worry.  If it's not up today, hopefully it'll be up by tomorrow.  Hm…this chapter may get a bit confusing.  

A white-haired male leans rests against the wall of the building, shrouded in darkness.  An unlit cigarette dangles from his lips.  He lights a match against the bottom of his shoe and brings it to the cigarette just as another figure is walking by.  The tip of the stick of nicotine lights and he quickly extinguishes the flame by squeezing it with his hand.  

"You're late," he says around the stick.  Cold blue eyes run up and down his body.  

"You really should give those up.  They'll kill you one day."  The white-haired male looks at him, a smirk playing across his lips.  

"You and I both know that's physically impossible.  Guardians are already dead."  

"They're not immortal, Bakura.  I could change that, though."  The said albino Guardian snorts, a puff of smoke streaming out of his nostrils as he did so.  

"That shit isn't going to work on me.  It may have worked on Otogi, but not me."  

"Did you want to make idle conversation or did you want something?"   

"I wanted to tell you something."  At this, his cold brown eyes snap up to gaze into azure.  

"Don't lay a bloody hand on him."  

"Ooh, possessive, aren't we?"  Brown eyes flecked with red narrow.  

"You seduced my last charge.  Made him think you actually gave a damn about him.  Then you drank him dry.  I will _not _let that happen again, Sephiroth Kaiba."  The said vampire chuckles.  

"What makes you think I'm not serious about this boy?  And, please, do call me Seto.  Or Seth.  Sephiroth reminds me that I'm not in Egypt anymore."  

The white-haired Guardians brown eyes avert back to glare at the wall, index and middle finger coming up to clasp the stick of nicotine momentarily as he releases a puff of smoke from his mouth.  

"You're never serious about anything.  Do NOT touch him."  Seth laughed.  

"He's already smitten with me.  Besides, I'm his protector."   

"That's MY job."  

"Then where were you earlier this evening, when he almost got his throat slashed?"  Silence was his answer.  The white-haired Guardian's jaw clenches as the silence consumes the two.  The Guardian lifts the stick back to his mouth, taking a deep puff of the addictive nicotine and releasing it through his flared nostrils.  He crosses his arms and fixes his red-flecked gaze on the ancient vampire, eyes narrowing as he growls, 

"Lay a hand on him and I swear to God, I will hunt you down and force you to eat your own black heart."  Seth chuckles, the sound deep and throaty.  He walks up to the Guardian, pinning him to the wall by his wrists and bringing his face so close that his lips brush against Bakura's.  The halfway smoked cigarette falls to the ground in a flurry of ash.  The vampire deepens the unexpected kiss, rubbing his tongue against the white-haired males, and he slowly leaves the lips to press his mouth against his vulnerable neck, gently pressing his fangs against the pale, unguarded skin.  Bakura suppresses the moan that threatens to erupt from his throat, choosing instead to say in a husky voice, 

"You won't do it.  It's not your style."  Seth chuckles again, the sound vibrating against Bakura's throat.  

"And how would you know that?"  

"I've known you too long.  You won't unless I agree to it, which there is not a snowball's chance in hell of happening."  

"All you have to do is say yes.  Then you can be free.  One word.  It's not that hard, is it?"  As badly as the white-haired Guardian longed to agree, his pride refused to let the word tumble out of his mouth.  The one word that could free him from this life.  

"No.  Now let go of me.  I have a job to do."  Seth sighed, gently running his tongue against the soft flesh, then relenting.  That was the closest he had gotten Bakura into saying yes.  Of course, his pride refused to let him simply go against his long time friend's wishes, as badly as he wanted to disobey.  The white-haired man straightened and pulled out another cigarette, lighting it as he put it to his lips.  He looked at the vampire, who had retreated to his former position, standing to his side.  

"I will only say this a final time.  Leave Ryou _alone_," was all he said before he turned on his heel and walked down the opposite end of the alley.  He turned to say something to the vampire, only to have his brown eyes meet empty space.  He sighed before turning the corner to enter the street.  But the thing that came out on the other side was not the white-haired cigarette smoking Guardian.  It was a white cat with brown eyes flecked with red.  

_Shit.  I hope Ryou hasn't missed me, _the cat thought as he walked down the street, towards Ryou's apartment.  

BlackRose:  Yeah, strange.  It clears some stuff up though.  Now you know why Ryou has a white cat.  ^.^  I'm sorry for the short chapter, but this is just something to put.  Not every chapter is in Ryou's POV, obviously.  The ones that don't have him in it will e in normal POV.  Hopefully you guys still like this.  REVIEW PLEASE!        


	3. Descent into Darkness

BlackRose:  Craaaaaaaap.  I am SO sorry for taking so long to update everything.  Not just this fic, but also the other two.  Shit.  Well, don't fear, the other two shall be updated soon as well.

"I knew I should have given you a lift," Malik grumbles the next morning, after I tell him what had happened to me the night before, taking care to leave out certain details. For some reason, I don't want him to know everything, and even stranger, I don't feel guilty about it.   
  
"I'm fine and that's all that matters," I assured him.   
  
"What!? Ryou, if that guy hadn't come, you would've gotten you're freakin' throat slashed! That matters!" I sigh.  
  
"I'm okay, though. That man came, and he saved me. I'm alive and perfectly well."   
  
"You might not have been."   
  
"I don't need you to worry about me Malik, really I don't. I'm a big boy and I can take care of myself."   
  
"Really? If you can take such good care of yourself, then why the hell did you almost get mugged?"   
  
"That's not the point. The point is I _didn't_."   
  
"I'm not letting you walk home again. I'll drop you off once we close up. I doubt your knight in shining armor would come to rescue you again."   
  
"You treat me like a child."   
  
"Because you're acting like one." I scowl.   
  
"Let's just drop this and get to work. We do have a deadline, you know."   
  
"Fine then. But don't think this gets you off the hook yet."   
  
I roll my eyes.   
  
"Yes mother."   
  
"Call me whatever you want. It doesn't bother me if you're going to tease because I'm trying to teach you how to take care of yourself."   
  
"I thought we were going to drop the subject."  
  
Malik opens his mouth to reply, but is interrupted as the door flew open and in comes a spiky-haired brunette, huffing as he sits and looks at us. He sends us a crooked smile.   
"Eh heh. Sorry I'm late. I…er…kinda overslept…again."   
  
"Was there ever an occasion where you _were_ on time, Hiroto?" Malik asks. Honda flushes again.   
  
"Nope…guess not."   
  
"Well, now that someone else is here, we'd best get to work if we plan on having this thing done for the studio so the voice actors can begin recording next week," I say.   
  
"Sure. Say, where's Shizuka-chan?" Honda asks.   
  
"Didn't you hear? She eloped with that guy to America yesterday."   
  
"No shit? Crap, I was gonna ask her out to dinner tonight."  
  
"Needless to say, your timing sucks, man." Honda sighs.   
  
"I'll say. And this leaves us short a hand."   
  
"We'll get through it. We're almost done with the animation, thank Ra."   
  
"Ugh…finally. That's the worst part of this job." I clear my throat.   
  
"I don't know about you, but I intend on getting some work done sometime _today_."   
  
"Relax. Sheesh, what are you so uptight about it for?" I glare at Honda and stand up without another word, silently walking to my table to begin working.   
  
"Aw c'mon Ry, I was just kidding." I don't answer, but hear Honda and Malik shuffle over to their places as we got to work. I swear, if I weren't here, I think both of them would be out of a job right now.   
  
  
*~*  
  
"Whoa. Nine already? Times flies when you're having fun." Honda says the last sentence in a sarcastic tone. Malik stands and stretches.    
  
"Well, I say all this hard work has earned us some free time. How about we all have a bite to eat at that place down the street?"   
  
"You guys can go. I'll just stay here for a bit longer. I want to finish this frame up."   
  
"Oh no your not. Last time we left you here alone, you stayed all night and fell asleep," Honda says. 

   
"But-"  
  
"But nothing, you're coming with us even if we have to drag you out, Mr. Workaholic," Malik interrupts.   
  
"I have to be when I'm working with two lazy asses," I mumble.   
  
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."   
  
"C'mon." Honda and Malik each take one of my arms and tugged me away from the machine. I begin to resist, but soon realize it was pointless and let them drag me out the office.   
  
"After all Ryou, all work and no play leads to a very dull Jack."   
  
  
*~*   
  
Honda stretches as we walk out of the curry restaurant, patting his belly.   
  
"That was delicious." Malik looks at his watch.   
  
"Hey, it's getting late. We were there for like, three hours."   
  
"Aw, is it past Malik-kun's bedtime?" This earns Honda an elbow to the stomach.   
  
"Unlike you, I don't have a bedtime, Mama's boy."   
  
"Shut up. I don't even live with my mother."   
  
Malik grins.   
  
"Riiiiiiight. I bet as soon as you get home, 'Oh Hiroto dearie, where have you been? You had my old heart sick with worry. *Gasp* Is that a paper cut? Oh my, come over here and let Mummsie give you're boo boo a kiss to make it feel all better. Now, would you like a glass of warm milk before I tuck you into bed?'" He laughed.   
  
"Oh, and I bet your pajamas have little feet on them too, huh?"   
  
"Fuck off."   
  
"*Gasp* Honda Hiroto, do you kiss your mother with that mouth? I'm sure you'd get a big spanking for such foul language!" Honda scowls as we walk to the parking lot.   
  
"Cut it out." Malik's grin widens. 

  
"You should know by now that I am the Master. You can't beat me with words. Then again, you couldn't beat me at anything."   
  
"I could beat your ass."   
  
"Bring it on, Mama's boy."   
  
"Just keep it up." The argument that was sure to follow is halted as we stop at our cars.   
  
"Who're you riding with, me or the asshole?" Honda asks.   
  
"Well, I don't want to put you out of your way, so I guess Malik."   
  
"'Kay, see ya tomorrow then." We go to the appropriate cars and separate.  Honda beeps the horn as he pulls out and drives away.  I sigh as Malik starts his own car and pulls out as well, driving in the opposite direction.  I turn to look at him.  

"Was that really necessary?"  Malik looks at me briefly.  

"Was what?" he asks innocently.  I roll my eyes.  

"Making an ass out of yourself by teasing Hiroto-kun?"  He grins.  

"Aw, c'mon, it's all in good fun.  We always bust on each other.  You know that."  

"Are you sure _he _knows your only joking?"   

"Yes.  It wouldn't be fun if he got pissed 'cause he thought I was serious."  I sigh again.  

"What am I going to do with you, Malik?"  

"Handcuff me to a bed and tame me?"  I feel the heat rush to my cheeks.  

"MALIK!"  The grin widens as he turns to look at me briefly again.  

"You walked right into that one." 

"Hentai."  

"But you wouldn't have me any other way."  The conversation ends there as we pull up to my apartment complex.  

"First stop, Shitty Complex.  G'night, Ry."  Before I can stop him, he leans over and plants a kiss on my cheek, which causes me to blush.  I turn to look at him, and get a smile.  

"Just a kiss between friends.  You can close your mouth now, Ry."  I simply nod and get out, giving him a weak wave as I walk up the concrete steps.  He beeps and drives off.  My mind is still in shock as I walk up the stairs to my apartment door and unlock the  it.  My apartment is pitch black.  Funny, I could have sworn I left a lamp on before I left.  My hand fumbles for the light switch and clicks it.  I blink as my eyes adjust to the light.  The house is completely silent.  Odd, Hogo usually comes to greet me when I come home.  

"Hogo?"  I hear a meow as a reply and the white cat comes streaking into the living room.  He must have been asleep.  I shrug and walk into the kitchen, Hogo at my heals.  I set his food down on the floor and walk into the bathroom.  I didn't have time to in the morning, since my alarm clock conveniently decided it didn't want to wake me up.  I lock the door and undress, turning the water so that it's scalding, just the way I like it.  It feels good on my chilled skin.  Twenty minutes later, I step out, the small tiled room steamy and hot.  My skin is now pink, from the heat of the water.  I wrap a towel around my waist and wipe away the fog clinging to the glass of the mirror, leaving streaks of moisture behind.  A pink faced reflection stares back at me.  I stare a little harder.  The reflection's brown eyes are filled with fear and sadness.  My reflection does something that I do not.  It opens its mouth in a silent scream, eyes rolling wildly.  They come to a stop to stare at a corner of the mirror, widening even more as they spy the thin tendril of darkness crawling up towards it.  My own eyes widen in morbid fascination as more tendrils curl up out of the edges of the mirror, slowly rising towards my reflections face.  They continue to crawl up, gently caressing the reflection's cheeks.  His mouth is still open in a soundless cry as the wisps of darkness consume him.  I stand there in shock for a moment, then come to my senses and unlock the door, bolting out of the bathroom and into my bedroom.  I see Hogo sitting on the windowsill, perfectly content, as he turns to look at me.  A low growl rises from his throat.  I would think it strange if not for the little occurrence in the bathroom.  I hear something and turn my head quickly, eyes searching the darkness, fruitless as it is.  I scream as two ice blue orbs meet my gaze.  A figure steps out of the shadows, a smirk on his face.  Brown hair, blue eyes.  The man from last night! 

BlackRose:  ^.^  Heh…I'm going to end it here, because if I don't, this thing could go on forever.  So, what did you think?  

Bakura: I think it needed more of me in it.  

BlackRose: -.- Anyone else?  

Malik:  *grins*  I'm happy.  I was in it.  ^.^  And I got to kiss Ryou.  

BlackRose: Heh…I thought you would like it.  YOU'RE nice to me, at least.  *glares at Bakura*   

Bakura:  -.- I'm not meant to be nice.  

BlackRose: Which is why Malik's here too!  *huggles Malik*  

Malik:  I feel loved.  REVIEW PLEASE!   

         
  
  
  
  
  



	4. The Grand Seduction

BlackRose: Well, this'll be my last update for a while.  I'm leaving to go to Japan on the 9th of August and I'm not coming back until the 31st.  ^.^  Hopefully this'll be enough to keep you guys happy til I post again.  Anyways…Malik? 

Malik:  ON WITH THE CHAPPIE

 The man is behind me in an instant.  He claps his hand over my mouth and whispers in my ear, 

"Please don't scream, my dear, I won't hurt you."  I nod and he takes his hand off, but remains behind me.  

"Who-who are you?"  I could hear his smile as he answered, 

"I told you already.  I'm your savior."  I can't help but lean back slightly as he presses his body against mine.  

"Your name…what is your name?" I manage to ask.  Strong arms wrap around my waist and warm lips press against my ear. 

"If you must know, my name is Seto, my dear Ryou."  I gasp and turn around.  

"How-how do you know my name?" Seto smirks, revealing sharp canines that brush against full lips.    

"I know many things about you, my beautiful ningen."   I hear Hogo's growl cut short.  Something happened to my cat.  Or so I think.  I hear another voice, harsh and coarse, growl instead,  

"Let go of my charge, Seth."  Seto's smirk remains on his pale face.  

"Bakura, really, you should have turned from the start.  Tsk, tsk.  Sleeping on the job, are we?"  

"Just shut up and let go of him."  I can't see the speaker as I have my back to him, but I can hear the anger in his voice.  I know I ought to agree with the speaker, not to mention be terrified, since I'm being held by a vampire, but…for some reason…I'm at ease in his arms.  

"Did you hear that?  He knows I shan't harm a hair on his head."  The sound of metal scraping is heard and I look up to see the glinting metal of a sword being pointed at Seto's throat.  

"I said _let go of him_.  Do NOT test me, Seto.  You KNOWI will NOT let our friendship get in the way of my job.  Don't make me kill you."  My savior simply chuckles and releases me.  I can't help but feel a pang of disappointment as he leaves the embrace.  

"Fine.  I see I cannot deter you tonight.  But I _will _have my time, mark my works, Guardian."  He turns to me and, before I even blink, presses his lips against mine briefly.  I feel a rush of ecstasy as I taste his lips.  Piquant and bitter, yet still sweet.  He pulls away and whispers in my ear,  

"Soon, my Ryou, I shall come for you. Just hold on."  Then he's gone.  I lightly touch my lips in amazement.  I've never tasted anything like this before.  I realize that I want to see him again.  Badly.  The urge is unbearable, even though he's been gone but for a few seconds.  

"Fuck."  The swear jars me out of my thoughts.  I remember the other man in the room and turn around, my breath catching in my throat as I see his features.  He…he looks just like me, if for a few differences.  His white hair is spikier and more tangled, brown eyes so much like mine, yet so incredibly cold, flecked with blood red.  He is clad in leather pants that I would never dare to wear and a black tank top. But the most obvious difference is what's on his back.  Glossy black wings are extended out behind him, making him appear far more threatening as he is still brandishing the sword in my direction.  Silence permeates through the room for an agonizingly long moment, until I finally find my voice and manage to croak out, 

"Wha-what the…hell?"  

My winged double looks just as surprised as me, his cold eyes wide with it.  

"I-I…er…oh shit.  Hold on a second."  He folds his wings against his back and walks towards me.  I instinctively back away.  He rolls his eyes and turns, to show me his now bare back.  The only evidence that there were once charcoal wings sprouting out were the two holes in his tank top.  Fear shoots up my spine as he continues to approach me.  

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!"  

He grabs my wrist before I can back away anymore.  

"Let me explain."             

I wrench my wrist out of his grasp.  

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME, YOU FREAK!!" 

He growls and pulls me back again and shoves me onto my bed, resting his back against my only escape.  

"LISTEN TO ME!" he hisses.  I look at him with wide eyes; eyes that I'm sure revealed my fear, if he hasn't noticed me visibly trembling.  Apparently he notices both, as his eyes soften slightly and he walks forward again, speaking in a gentler tone as he sits on the end of my bed. 

"Ryou…do you…believe in Guardian Angels?"  I can't answer at first.  Do I?  No, I've been raised to believe in Buddha.  But, I've always believed there was something else up there, other than Buddha.  But angels?  I can only manage to shake my head slowly.  He sighs.  

"But you've heard of them, right?"  At this, he receives a nod.  He rolls his eyes again and tilts his head slightly to the side as he asks, 

"Well, can you do something more than nod or shake your head?"  

"Y-yes," I manage to answer in a small voice.  

"Okay, well…damn, if this isn't the most irritating thing to happen… I was never taught how to handle this kind of situation.  Shit…" His eyes, which had been staring at the wall, snapped back to look at me.  He took a breath and turned his whole body to face me.  

"Well…first off, my name is Bakura.  I'm your Guardian.  I've been responsible for you since your birth."  

"You're a Guardian Angel."  He bites the corner of his lip.    

"Not exactly.  Angels are…different.  I'm just a Guardian, although we're called Angels because of the wings. Angels don't even have wings.  They just…float.  That is, if they can even fly at all."  

"So your just my Guardian?"  

"Yes."  

"And you've been watching over me my whole life?"  

"Yes."  

"Then prove it."  He rolls his eyes again.  

"Fine then, tenshi-chan."  How could he have known that was the nickname my mother gave my sister and myself?  

"When you were five, you and your sister, Amane, snuck out of the house when your mother was cooking dinner and went to the river by your house.  You were jumping along the mossy rocks to get to the other side when your foot slipped and you fell.  Amane tried to grab onto you, but fell in too.  You both were knocked unconscious by a rock.  Do you remember someone with white hair, Ryou?"  I gasps.  Yes, I did in fact remember.  I had thought it was Mother, but now that I recall, our rescuer had had brown and red eyes. Bakura continues on, unfazed by my interruption.  

"Then, a year later, you were in a car with Amane and your mother, on the way to the airport to pick up your father from an archaeological dig in Egypt.  You were sitting behind your mother, and Amane to her left, in the passenger seat.  It was snowing out.  Very badly, as I recall.  I had one hell of a fight with the wind just to keep you in sight.  Anyways, as I said, it was snowing rather hard.  Another car was on the road, and your mother swerved to the left to avoid it, and she did.  But the ice was slick.  The car ran off the road, down the slippery hill and rolled over once, crashing into a dense forest.  Your mother crashed through the window, snapping her neck as she hit a tree.  Amane had a piece of wood the size of a fist embedded into her heart, and you had a minor concussion and a broken wrist.  Not a bad job, if I do say so myself.  If I hadn't saved you then, you'd have been a helluva lot worse."  Anger pinches at my insides, and my blood begins to boil.

"IF YOU SAVED ME, WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE MY FAMILY?!"  

"Your mother and sister were destined to die that day.  Their Guardians knew this and were reassigned.  There wasn't anything I could do."  

"You could have saved them!  All you had to do was get them out before the damn car crashed!"  Bakura groans. 

"It's not that simple, Ryou.  I'm not in charge of any one else except you until you die.  I had no control over Amane and Riuka's deaths."  I sigh sadly, looking at the cream colored bedspread.  

"So there wasn't anything you could do for them?"  

"No.  I had no control over their situation's whatsoever.  I swear if I had, I would have saved them.  You were so miserable for so long after their deaths, Ryou.  It hurt to see my charge in such emotional distress."  I look up.  

"You would?"  

"Yes."  A ghost of a smile made its way across my lips.  A much more comfortable silence than before surrounded us for a few moments, until I speak up again.  

"Why did you stop Seth?"  My heart starts pounding in my chest as I see his image flash before my eyes. God, how I longed to see him again.  Bakura's eyes darken.  

"He wanted your blood," he growls.  

"No he didn't!  He would never do that!"  

"You only just met him! You don't know him like I do!"   

"He would never-"  

"Oh really?  And just how the hell do you know?"  

I stop.  I didn't know exactly.  But I felt so…safe with him.  Like I knew he wouldn't hurt me in any way.  

"I-I just do."  

"I'm not going to let him come back.  I don't really give a shit if you trust him or not, I won't risk another charge on his behalf."  

"You have no right to deprive me of something you know nothing about!"  A growl rises from his throat and he lunges at me, pinning me to the wall by my throat.  His face is inches from mine and I can feel his hot breath on my face.  

"Don't you DARE tell me I know nothing about him!  I've known him for centuries!  It's YOU who knows not a goddamn thing!  Don't you EVER tell ME I don't know him!"  He releases me and rises, walking towards the window, his sleek charcoal wings shooting out of him back again.  He opens the window and steps on the windowsill, boots thudding on the wood.  He is about to leave when he turns around sharply and growls, 

"Don't even THINK of seeing him again.  He's not coming back.  I'll make sure of that.  Stay here and pretend NONE of this happened, Ryou.  I swear to God, if you pursue this, I'll make sure to ring much pain to you.  It's for your own good."  Then he leaps out the window, falling down for a few feet, and then gliding back up, wings slicing through the air.  I can only sit back on the bed.  The longing to see Seto hits me with full force and I pull my knees up to my head, eyes overflowing with tears.  My Guardian said I will never see him again.  I have to.  If I don't, I'll surely die.  

BlackRose: Whelp…that's the last chapter for a while.  ^.^  Hopefully this can hold you over until I get back.  Malik? 

Malik:  REVIEW PLEASE!                           


	5. Prelude to Lovers

BlackRose: Okay, not much to say except I'm sorry you guys had to wait almost a whole month for this to get updated…thank you for the patience.  

Love can do strange things to people.  It can make them remain faithful to their lover who is fighting on the battlefield…make them slowly fade away from heartache…unable to chase away thoughts of their special someone every minute of every day.  It can also be the death of a person…make them cross the line of reality and into a strange new world…called insanity.     

Wind tousled brown hair as its owner walked up the stone steps of an old, darkened mansion.  The sound of a door creaking echoed throughout the silent hallway as the brown haired vampire walked into his home.  The room was devoid of the moans that meant his compatriots were in the middle of yet another night of rough sex.  

Ignoring the ache that had remained in his heart since the moment he had left his white-haired angel, he walked down the dark hallway and stopped at a door at the end, cautiously opening it.  Blue eyes landed on the two figures that were occupying the room.  

"Well…what happened?"  The vampire with raven hair asked.  

"Yeah…we've been waiting to meet this human of yours," his blonde haired lover added.  

Seto didn't answer at first, his heart twinging painfully in his chest.  Silence engulfed the three until the ancient brown haired vampire took a deep breath and leaned against the wall, his usually straight and upright shoulders slouching slightly.  

"My visit was cut short as an old friend decided to finally do his job properly."  

Emerald eyes narrowed slightly.  

"So he's going to forbid his charge from seeing you."  Another sigh.  

"He has already.  I doubt Ryou would be able to force him to see things differently."       

"He'll change his mind when he sees how depressed the kid is," the blonde haired vampire said.  

"I wouldn't bet on that, Jounouchi.  He is as stubborn as a jackass, if not more."  

"Hm…neither of you may be able to convince Bakura to change his mind…but he isn't involved in the relationship, is he?"  

"What do you mean, Otogi?  Ryou cannot hide from him…"  

"This heartache the both of you feel isn't necessary.   All that you have to do to be with Ryou is to temporarily subdue Bakura long enough to claim what is yours."  

Seto's heart skipped a beat at the thought.  Maybe all was not lost?  But there was one thing…

"I'd rather not have to resort to hurting the Guardian."  Jounouchi rolled his eyes.  

"He never said you had to…you just have Ryou slip him something…something strong enough to knock him out for a few hours so you can have enough time to get away."  

It seemed easy enough.  Then again…love could make a person do many strange a thing.  

_Is it possible that I could still have him?  That he could be mine by tomorrow night?  _

The former High Priest was lost in thought…planning for his loves escape.  

Jounouchi couldn't help but release a yelp of pain as his veins throbbed.  It had been several days since his last meal…his body was screaming for the blood it so desired.  

Otogi frowned slightly, then stood, taking his loves hand and pulling him up as well.  

"Your hungry.  Seth, we're going to go out and hunt.  I suggest that you hurry with your plans.  Someone we know is after us."  
 

The blue eyed vampire didn't answer as his mind was planning, planning, planning.  Ryou was to know what to do tomorrow night.  He would go and tell him himself.  

BlackRose: Yeah, I know.  WAY too short.  This is just something to let you know what's going to happen next.       


	6. Authoress' Note

BlackRose: I apologize for making you guys wait so long.  I'm working on the next chapter…it's just getting along a bit slowly.  There is something else, however.  This is my last fanfic-

Malik + Bakura: WHAT?! 

Bakura:  What about all of the other shit you have written down?  

Malik: You can't just drop us like this!  

BlackRose:  -.-…Can I _finish, _please?  As I was saying, this is my last fanfic…as BlackRose16.  I was going to keep this pen name…but since that number thing really got on my nerves…I got a new one.  The new one is Martyr of the Black Rose.  I already started writing stuff under that pen name…but I won't completely ditch this one until after this fic is finished.  Like I said before…the next chapter is coming up soon and I apologize for making you guys all wait.     


	7. Soon, My Love

BlackRose:  Yeah, I'm sorry for Prelude to Lovers shortness.  This one is longer.  And very fluffy.  ^.^   

_/…Seto to Ryou…/_

_//…Ryou to Seto…// _

Sleep evades me once again tonight.  I can't get Seto out of my mind.  I've only seen him twice, yet my heart aches so terribly.  Bakura is still gone…I'm not even sure if he would be coming back.  

 The dawn rises and greets my room all too soon, and sleep has still not come.  A tired sigh escapes my throat. Who would have ever thought I would fall in love with a vampire.  I almost wish…I had never met him.  Ignorance is true bliss.  

The dark bags under my eyes and my silence go unnoticed throughout the whole day, as it is a busy one, with our due date drawing ever the more closer.  Or so I thought.  Just as the day of work draws to a close, and I'm ready to go home, Malik pulls me aside.  

"Ry, you okay?"  I blink.  Why does he ask now?  

"Yes, I'm fine.  Just a bit ti-" 

_/Ryou…/  _

I start, my eyes widening slightly as my heart starts thumping against my chest.  It's Seto.  

_/Love, I've found a way for us to __be together./  _Just the sound of his voice makes a wave of longing rush over me.  I have to see him…touch him.  Gods, how I miss him.  

_/Don't worry.  We'll __be together soon, child, I promise.  You just need to do as I say./  _ 

I'm started from our conversation as I feel my body being shaken.  

"Ryou?  Ryou, snap out of it!"  I blink again, shaking my head slightly. 

"Are you sure you're okay?  You just zoned out on me there."  Lavender eyes look into my own, filled with worry.  I fake a smile and nod.  

"I'm okay, really.  Just a bit tired is all."  

"You sure?"  

"I'm fine, okay?  Just leave me alone!"  With that, I take off down the hallway and run outside.  

_//Seto…Seto where are you?//  _   

_/Go to the park…I'll be waiting there./  _

Nothing more is said.  How did he know to go there?  

I pick up my speed, my feet pounding against the sidewalk as the park near my work building looms into view.  He's not there.  Continuing my search, I walk down the dark pathway, hoping to see him.  It's not until I come to the small grassy clearing does he come into view.  I stop dead in my tracks.  It's funny.  I've barely met him and I've already fallen for him.  

"Ryou…come here."  I can't help it.  I start running again…straight into his arms.  Salty tears flood out of my eyes and dampen the front of his shirt.  He wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head.  I can feel him smiling.  

"I've missed you," I mumble.  He strokes my hair.  

"And I you."  

We hold each other tightly for a few moments, just taking each other in.  Funny how only hours apart can seem like eternity.  Yes, indeed I have fallen hard and fast in love with a vampire. 

"My dear…" Seto said quietly, "It would make things a lot easier to tell you face to face."  

Oh yes…he had to tell me something.  What was it?  I pull away and look up to meet his azure eyes, my cheeks pink.  

"Actually, that's not helping at all." 

 Before I can say a word, his lips are pressed against mine.  I close my eyes and let his tongue explore my mouth.  The kiss soon becomes heated as our tongues mash together, hands moving to grab hold of exposed skin.  My tongue flicks against a fang, the razor sharp point pricking it enough to draw blood.  Apparently Seto tastes it, as he immediately pulls away.  

He must see the slight hurt in my eyes, as he caresses my cheek.  

"I apologize, love, but I couldn't do that to you.  As I was about to say before…there _is _a way for us to be together." 

 His hand drops to rummage around in his blue trench coat before pulling out a small glass vial full of amber liquid.  

"Just slip this into your Guardian's food tonight."  I open my mouth to disagree, but he interrupts me.  

"All that does is knock him out for several hours.  It won't kill him.  And yes, he _will _be waiting for you once you get home."  I nod and open my mouth to say something else, only to be silenced as Seto presses a slender finger to my mouth, his blue eyes leaving my face to search the grassy park.  

There is silence for a few moments as he continues searching with his eyes.  Finally he pulls me close and whispers in my ear, 

"I'm afraid our time is up.  Someone is watching us.  Remember; just slip that into Bakura's food tonight.  I can't escort you to my home myself, it's too risky.  A car will be waiting at the front entrance of your apartment building at midnight.  The driver will take you.  I shall see you tomorrow."  He kisses me on the cheek a final time and thrust the vial into my hands before he disappears.  

I blink and look around, that same longing beginning to take it's place in my heart.  Putting the vial in my pocket, I start to walk back home.  This is the last night I'll ever have to suffer again.  By this time tomorrow, I'll have a permanent place in his arms.  

I just have to figure out how I'll slip this into Bakura's dinner.  

BlackRose:  Eh…it was a bit longer.  These chapters just seem to refuse to want to get any longer than this, though…damn things.  The next chapter should be out soon…hopefully.     

  


	8. Escape

BlackRose:  This fic is going along nicely, if I do say so myself.  

I'm nervous as I enter my apartment.  It's dark again.  Seto said Bakura would be waiting for me, but I'm not so sure.  I hear a cat's meow.  Never mind.  My hand reaches into my pocket and clutches the glass vial.  I just hope Bakura doesn't catch on.  

"You know…wouldn't it just be easier to be in your…er…Guardian form, since I already know your not a cat?"  

I know he said to pretend it never happened…but does he really just expect me to forget?  Apparently so as I hear a growl.  

"I'm not going to forget that my cat turned into a flying man any time soon…" I grumble.  He must have heard me, because instead of hearing a cat, a gruff voice growled, 

"It's not _my _fault you saw me."  I rolled my eyes.  Inside I was nervous as anything.  

What if he saw through my act? 

I realized he was staring at me, cold brown and red eyes narrowed, pale arms crossed over his chest.  

"What?"  

"Well?  Do you plan on making dinner anytime soon?"  

*~*

I smile as I see Bakura begin to nod off at the dinner table.  It's working all ready.  I glance at the clock on the kitchen wall.  Good timing too.  It's already 11:30.  I get up and place my dishes in the sink.  No need to wash them, as I'm never coming back.  I don't need to worry about leaving a cat by itself, as Hogo is now unconscious at the table, using his dinner as a very squishy pillow.  

All I bother to take with me is my coat before I'm out the door, and down the steps, waiting for the car to come.  It's already there, much to my relief.  I'm not sure how long I would have been able to wait.  All I wanted was to be in Seto's arms again.  As I walk towards the car, the driver gets out, walks around to the other side, and opens my door.  He is much taller than I, and lanky.  Oddly enough, he's not wearing a chauffeur's uniform…instead dressed in a blue suit with a yellow dress shirt and a red tie.  His green fuzzy green hair looks as if it hasn't seen a brush in months.  A cigarette is dangling from his lips as he offers me a crooked smile.  Then he frowns as he realizes I'm empty handed. 

"You're going to be bored as hell, you know.  It takes a couple hours to get to there."  

*~*  

The chauffeur, whose name is Spike, ends up making the drive very entertaining as we engage in a conversation.  He used to work for a syndicate or something like that, and wanted out, so he had to lay low for a while.  Why he picked a chauffeur of all professions, I have no idea.  It seems like an eternity before Seto's mansion finally comes into view.  It is enormous.  And incredibly secluded.  

The sky is just starting to pinken in the distance.  I'm giddy with delight.  In just a few moments, I'll be seeing Seto again.  

BlackRose:  Sorry!  I know, this ones short too!  The next chapter will be longer, I promise.  This was just something short to put for how Ryou get's there…although the next chapter is going to be about Bakura once he wakes up.  Oh, and for those of you who don't know…the chauffeur is Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop.  :-P I just couldn't resist.  ^.^   Like I said before…the next chapter will be longer…PROMISE!!!!     


End file.
